Electrical stop motion for knitting machines



W. O. HEYNE ELECTRICAL STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed 001;. 26, 1950 April 22, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l F/GJ.

Inventor M/fiam 0, A/ey/ze By April 1952 w. o. HEYNE ELECTRICAL STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed on. 26, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor h/l /ham/ 0, flegne y W. O. HEYNE ELECTRICAL STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES April 22, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 26, 1950 April 22, 1952 w, O HEYNE 2,594,168

ELECTRICAL STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 26, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 R o r\ o (D\ LO 1 "v a\ N N AQ W N a m QD w 1 k l J I m if Ugh I\ g o D Inventor April 22, 1952 w, o. HEYNE 2,594,168

ELECTRICAL STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 26, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 114, n 1: x l l In.

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Patented Apr. 22, 1952 ELECTRICAL STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES William Oscar Heyne, Epsom, England, assignor of one-half to T. .1. Brooks (Autos) Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Application October 26, 1950, Serial No. 192,194 In Great Britain November 8, 1949 13 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical stop motions for knitting machines, and concerns partic ularly yarn-controlled devices for incorporation in such motions and of the class adapted, upon the occurrence of yarn failure, to close an electrical circuit and so bring about stoppage of the knitting machine automatically.

By yarn failure is meant either yarn breakage, or the absence of yarn which may occur, for instance, when a bobbin or the like becomes empty.

The invention, moreover, has reference to yarncontrolled devices of the gate and dropper type, that is to say of the type comprising a stationary gate having formed therein a horizontal slot or slots, and an associated relatively movable dropper consisting of a small arm of light form arranged to rise and fall upon a horizontal axis, the free end of the dropper being formed with a laterally extending portion or portions adapted to project into the horizontal slot or slots in the gate. Usually the gate has formed therein two vertically spaced horizontal slots to receive two correspondingly spaced laterally extending fingers on the arm, although the invention is by no means limited in this respect. The construction and arrangement is such that when a feeding yarn is passing through the gate and dropper device (i. e. between the dropper fingers and the gate) to the appropriate feeder of the machine under normal conditions, it holds the dropper arm in a raised, i. e. working, position but that when the said yarn fails it permits the dropper arm to fall by gravity as a result of which a switch is operated to initiate stoppage of the machine.

The object of the present invention is to provide in or for an electrical stop motion, an improved yarn-controlled device of the gate and dropper type which is so designed and operable as to enable it to be threaded with one hand only.

Another object is to provide, in association with the said gate and dropper device, an electrical switch of improved form which will be positively closed whenever the dropper arm falls.

. The device according to this invention includes a trip mechanism adapted to be actuated by the dropper. when the latter falls from the gate as the result of a failure of yarn. to operate an electric switch and also to restore the dropper into a position in which it re-cooperates with the gate.

The idea is that after the dropper arm has fallen under the influence of gravity away from the gate to effect closure of the switch and so initiate stoppage of the machine, the fallen arm shall be immediately raised again, and restored to its working position to facilitate re-threadlng.

' separately, or a group of these devices can be employed together to deal with cases where there are a plurality of running yarn lengths to be passed to the feeding points of the knitting machine. In this event the various yarn controlled devices can be housed in a common casing and may have a common electrical conductor capable of being supplied by the closing of the switch of any of the devices.

Furthermore, in such an arrangement, a resetting means capable of dealing with any tripped devices in one operation may be employed.

Other features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

An example of a structure incorporating a pluralityof yarn-controlled devices made in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an assembly incorporating a group of yarn-controlled devices, each having the characteristics of th invention, for use in connection with a multi-feeder knit.- ting machine.

Figure 2 is an end view of this assembly.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of the group of devices dealt with in the present invention.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the group housed in a common casing the closure cover of which has been removed. This figure is on a scale larger than that of Figures 1 and 2 but smaller than the scale used in Figure 3.

Figures 5; 6 and 7 are views from the rear, and on a still larger scale than that ofFigure-3, showing the mechanism of one of the yarn-controlled devices in various stages of its operation and resetting.

Figure 8 is a plan view taken on VIII-VIII of Figure 5.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the assembly therein illustrated includes a structure, generally designated l0, comprising a group of devices responsive to the tension of yarn passing to the feeder of the machine and incorpo- 3 rated in the stop motion of the latter. This group I forms no part of the present invention but is the subject of my co-pending patent application No. 185,227 filed September 16, 1950.

The assembly further includes a group, indicated at l l, of yarn-failure devices which are described below.

The structures lil and II are both secured to a pair of spaced upright bars [2 and I3 which conveniently are, as illustrated, undulated along their length and provided with a series of holes [4 for receiving fastening means. The bars 13 and [4 are supported by an upstanding pillar I5, provided in the superstructure of the knittin machine, by means of a pair of arms l6 and I! diverging from a common sleeve on pillar l5 and with flange plates H3 at their outer ends which are attached by bolts 19 passed into appropriate holes [4.

Yarn lengths 22 for the feeders of the knitting machine are supplied from two rows of relatively staggered bobbins 2|, passing first through the structure II and then through the structure it] and over a guide bar 23 to the respective feeders.

The structure ll comprises a straight, pressed sheet metal casing 24 which is closed at the back by a removable cover 25 and has a pair of lugs 26 at the upper and lower sides thereof for attachment to the bars [2 and I3. The casing 24 also has screwed to its front, at each end, a bent arm 21 serving to support upper and lower cross bars 28 and 29 in which are appropriately positioned pot eyes 3!] for guiding the yarn lengths 22.

To enable the construction and functioning of the yarn-failure responsive mechanism to be understood, we will now describe one of the individual devices, since all these devices are similarly constructed and arranged.

Each device, then, includes a gate 3| and a co-operating dropper arm 32 of conventional appearance, the gate being mounted on a bracket 33 secured to the front of the casing, as by a nut and bolt 34. The bracket 33 also serves to mount a pair of friction discs 35 of known form, pressed together by an adjustably loaded spring 36 to set the tension of the yarn 22 passing to the gate and dropper arrangement. Moreover certain of the brackets have a rearwardly extending arm 31 carrying a distributing ring 38 through which the yarn lengths pass to the respective pot eyes on the lower cross bar 29. Each bracket 33 also has secured thereto, below the gate and dropper device, a slub clearer 39 of conventional character.

The dropper arm 32 is connected at its lower end to a spindle 40 which is mounted to turn in a bearing sleeve 4!, located between the front of casing 24 and the bracket 33, and passes through the front wall 43 of this casing to terminate in a right-angled portion 42 (see Figures 5 to 8).

Mounted on the rear side of the front wall 43 is a plate 44 serving to carry the trip mechanism. Pivoted, by the pin 45, on this plate is a three-armed catch 46. One arm (47) of this catch, called hereafter the first arm, is arranged in the rotary path of the spindle portion 42, whilst a second and third arms 48 and 49 diverge at an obtuse angle from each other at theopposite side of the catch. The arm 48 has a pointed end 50 of more or less rectangular shape for latching, as will be hereinafter explained, and the arm 49 is acted on by a small tension spring 5i tending to draw it counter- 4 clockwise (as seen in Figures 5 to 7) towards a stop 52 on the plate 44.

Co-operating with the catch arms 48 and 49 is the nose 53 of an element 54. This latter serves for latching the catch 46 in its pre-set condition, for operating the catch to restore the dropper arm when the catch is tripped, and as the moving part of a knife switch.

- Thus the element 54 is pivoted on a spindle 55 which extends through casing wall 43 and a tubular bearing 55 and terminates at the front in a sleeve 51 having a radial pin 58. This latter can, if desired be used for individual re-setting of the mechanism after tripping and also signals the angular position of the element 54 at any moment (see Figure 3).

Referring again to Figures 5 to 8, the element 54 is urged to rotate in a clockwise direction by a tension spring 59, and has formed therein an arcuate recess the end shoulders of which co-operate with a fixed stop Bl on the plate 43 to define the respective limits of rotation of the element. The nose 53 is formed at its outer end with an angular recess 62 of complementary shape to the pointed end 53 of the arm 48, and the parts are positioned so that this pointed end can enter the recess with the result that the catch 46 and element 54 are interengaged together against the opposition of their respective springs 5| and 59.

Thisis the condition illustrated in Figure 5, i. e. when the dropper arm 32 is held vertical by the yarn running between the fingers of this arm and the gate 3!, as in the case of the rightviewed in Figures 5 to 7).

hand three devices seen in Figure 3. If, however, a yarn length should break, as at the left hand side of Figure 3, the dropper arm 32 swings downwards under gravity (counter-clockwise as As a consequence the end portion 42 of the dropper spindle strikes the arm 47 with sufficient momentum to pivot the catch 46 clockwise to a small angular extent, in fact suiiicient to release the nose 50 from recess 62. When this occurs the nose 53 swings clockwise and strikes the arm 49 of the catch (already urged counter-clockwise by spring 5|) so as to swing the catch arm 41 back against spindle portion 42, thereby restoring the dropper arm 32 to its vertical position.

A stage in this restoring movement is illustrated in Figure 6, and on its completion the arm 32 is once again located vertically and is held there by the catch 45 so that the operator can thread a new or repaired yarn length between the gate and the fingers of the dropper arm without having to hold this latter up in position. When the re-threading has been carried out the catch 46 and member 54 are re-set in their engaged and poised condition (illus-' trated in Figure 5) by turning the appropriate pin- 58, or by a common control which will later be described.

The electrical switching function of the element 54 will now be referred to. At the side thereof located opposite the nose 53, this element has rivetted thereto a thin blade 63 of brass, this representing the movable contact of a knife switch. The fixed contacts of this switch are formed by a pair of opposed depending leaves 64, parallel but somewhat biassed towards one another, forming parts of conductive plates 65. These latter are mounted on the plate 44 by nutsand bolts 65, with the employment of insulating washers 61.

The rear plate 65 has a rearwardly projecting memes lug which is connected to a conductor rod or bar 69 extending through the casing so as to inter-connect the fixed contacts of the various devices. Hence, when the restoring element 54 moves clockwise as a consequence of the trip action (see Figure 6), the moving blade 63 enters between, and makes contact with, the leaves 64. Hence the casing 24 becomes electrically connected'to conductor 69 irrespective of which device is tripped.

At one end of the casing (see Figure 4) this conductor passes through an insulating block Hi to be connected to a terminal H. This terminal is connected in a control circuit for the drive of the knitting machine, such as that shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. This indicates a solenoid winding 12 connected to the terminal H and on the other hand to the upright l of the machine. When this winding is excited by closure of any of the knife switches, the core 13 of the solenoid acts on a switch 14 effective to cause de-clutching of. the drive of the knitting machine, which therefore comes to a standstill.

To provide the operative with means for com mon, as opposed to individual, re-setting of any tripped mechanism or mechanisms, a re-setting bar 15 is located so as to be longitudinally slidable in the casing 24, being guided on lugs 16 on the mounting plates 44. At the end of the casing opposite to the terminal 'H the bar 15 is formed with a plunger 11 movable outwards beyond the end of the casing between a pair of plates!!! (see Figure 4). Pivoted on these plates in a re-setting lever 19 which, when turned, pushes the bar 15 inwards of the casing against the action of a tension spring 80 anchored to the bar and the casing. The lever 19 carries a stud 8! for regulating the adjusting travel of the bar.

When so actuated, nibs 82 secured to the bar 15 contact a projection 83 on the respective element 54 (where tripped) so as to rotate it countar-clockwise, as indicated in Figure 7, against the action of the tension spring 59 which may conveniently be anchored to this projection 83. As a. result the nose 53 meets and rides on the underside edge of the arm 48 so rotating the catch clockwise against the opposition of its spring 5| until the latter can act to pull the pointed end into recess 62, so re-setting the Darts of the mechanism as indicated in Figure 7. Thereupon the lever 19 is released and the bar 15 is moved back to the starting position of Figure 5.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the mechanism is such that it will not be operated and the switch not closed unless the gate fails a substantial angular distance and with substantial momentum, that is to say they will not be operated merely as a consequence of slack in the yarn.

Again it will be understood that the structure may include as many yarn failure responsive devices as may be required or thought suited to a particular machine. In fact it may, in some instances, be convenient to have one only of these devices, with the mechanism housed in a comparatively short casing.

It will further be appreciated that devices and groups of devices according to this invention are applicable to the stop motions of circular knitting machines, as well as to straight-bar or fiat knitting machines.

What I claim then is:

1. For use in operating the electrical stop motion of a knitting machine, a device comprising a gate, a movable dropper arm cooperating with said gate, an electric switch controlling said stop motion and a trip mechanism operable by said dropper arm to actuate said switch and restore the dropper arm into cooperation with. said gate.

2. For use in operating the electrical stop'motion of a knitting machine, a device comprising a gate, a movable dropper arm cooperating .with said gate, an electric switch controlling saidstop motion, a catch element'mounted for operation by said dropper arm and a latching means movable in response to the operation of said catch element for actuation of said electricswitch and for restoring the dropper arm into cooperation with said gate.

3. For use in operating the electrical stop motion-of a knitting machine, a device comprising a gate. a movable dropper arm cooperating'with said gate, an electric switch controlling saidstop motion, a catch element mounted for operation by said dropper arm and a pivoted latching element carrying a contact of said switch and having a nose portion for normally latching said catch element and positioned to act on the latter, when released from latching engagement, torestore the dropper arm into cooperation with said gate.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which the catch and latching elements are spring-biassed in opposite rotational directions and have respective nose portions for interengagement.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which the nose on the catch element has a pointed end of substantially rectangular form for engagement in a recess of complementary shape in the nose of the latching element.

6. A device according to claim 3, in which the catch element has one arm for contact by the falling dropper arm, a second and nose-provided arm for latching engagement with the latching element, and a third arm located in the path of the tripped latching element.

'7. For use in operating the electrical stop motion of a knitting machine, a device comprising a casing, a gate secured to said casing, a dropper arm pivoted on said casing and cooperating with said gate, fixed electrical contact means carried on said casing. a catch element pivoted in said casing and a latching element pivoted in said casing and having a nose for latching said catch element and, when released, for acting on said catch element to restore it to its initial position, and said latching element carrying movable contact for bridging said fixed contact means.

8. A device according to claim '7, in which the latching element has an arm rotatable therewith and projecting from said casing.

9. A device according to claim 7, in which the movable contact is a projecting blade, and the fixed contact means are a pair of strips positioned for receiving the movable contact blade in the manner of a knife switch.

10. For use in operating the electrical stop motion of a knitting machine, a device comprising a gate, a movable dropper arm cooperating with said gate, an electric switch controlling said stop motion, a catch element mounted for operation by said dropper arm, a pivoted latching element carrying a contact of said switch and having a nose portion for normally latching said catch element and positioned to act on the latter, when released from latching engagement, to restore the dropper arm into cooperation with said gate and manually-operable means for resetting said latching element in its latching condition.

' '11-. For use in operating the electrical stop motion of a knitting machine, a structure comprising a casing and a plurality of yarn-controlled devices each including a gate secured to said casing, a dropper arm pivoted on said casing and cooperating with said gate, fixed electrical contact means carried on said casing, a catch element pivoted in said casing and a latching element pivoted in said casing and having a nose for latching said catch element and, when released, for acting on said catch element to restore it to its initial position, and said latching element carrying movable contact for bridging said fixed contact means. 7 7

12. A structure according to claim 11, in which the-fixed electric contact means of the yarncontrolled devices areconnected to a common conductor insulatedly flmounted in said casing.

13. For usein operating the electrical stop motion of a knitting machine, a structure comprising a casing and a plurality of yarn-controlled devices each including a gate secured to said casing, a dropper armfipivoted on said casing and cooperating with saidgate, fixed electrical contact means carried onsaid casing, a catch element pivoted in said -casing,-a latching element pivoted in said casing and having a nose for latching said catch element and, when released, for acting on said catch element to restore it to its initial position, and said latching element carrying movable contact for bridging said fixed contact means and a slide mounted in said casing and movable longitudinally therein for contact with a tripped latching element or elements to reset the same. i

WILLIAM OSCAR HEYNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

